The World in Brief

Sarkozy detained in France, report says

PARIS -- Nicolas Sarkozy is being held as part of a probe into influence peddling, Agence France-Presse reported, making it the first time a former French president has been detained.

Repeated calls to French prosecutors' offices and to Sarkozy's spokesman went unanswered. Sarkozy's lawyer Thierry Herzog was detained Monday as part of the same inquiry.

The investigation is centered on whether some judges were keeping Sarkozy and Herzog informed about the state of investigations into the former president's campaign financing, French newspaper Le Monde reported Monday. Magistrates have up to 48 hours to decide whether to charge Sarkozy.

"Nicolas Sarkozy is a citizen like any other," French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said on i-Tele television. "He benefits from the presumption of innocence." Le Foll denied that the current government has anything to do with the Sarkozy inquiries.

Court backs France's full-face veils ban

LONDON -- The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday upheld a ban imposed by France on the wearing of full-face veils in public, rejecting arguments that the measure violated religious freedoms and bolstering opponents of strict Islamic dress in other parts of Europe.

When it went into effect three years ago in France, the ban upset some Muslims, who said the full-face veil was an obligation of their faith.

With a Muslim minority estimated at up to 6 million -- Europe's largest -- the ban, imposed by the former conservative government of Nicolas Sarkozy, was also depicted by its critics as exploiting anti-Muslim and anti-immigration sentiments.

At the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, judges said the ban was a legitimate attempt to promote diversity and did not infringe on Europe's Convention on Human Rights.

The court was ruling on the case of an unidentified French woman who said the law, first passed in 2010 and implemented in 2011, was discriminatory and violated her freedom of conscience.

Malaysia probing envoy's assault case

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Malaysia said Tuesday that it will take stern action against a junior military official if he is found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in New Zealand, where he was working at the country's diplomatic mission.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said a Defense Ministry panel will investigate 2nd Warrant Officer Muhammad Rizalman bin Ismail, 38, who was charged in New Zealand's capital last month but evaded trial by using diplomatic immunity. He returned home May 22.

Anifah said Muhammad Rizalman had worked at the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington for the past year as a defense staff assistant when he was detained May 9 on accusations of following a 21-year-old woman home and assaulting her.

"Diplomatic immunity is not a license for them to commit crime," Anifah said. It was not immediately clear what punishment Muhammad Rizalman would face under Malaysia's military rules.

Turkish premier to make presidential bid

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey's ruling party on Tuesday nominated Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to run in Turkey's first directly elected presidential race in August, announcing his candidacy to thousands of cheering supporters.

Erdogan, 60, has been in power since 2003 but is barred by internal party rules from running as prime minister again. The leader -- who has presided over Turkey's economic ascent but has also provoked anger for the increasingly authoritarian tack he has taken -- has long been rumored to have presidential ambitions.

The Turkish presidency is a largely symbolic post, but Erdogan has said he favors a system that gives the president more powers.

He failed to muster sufficient support to make constitutional changes for an all-powerful president but has suggested that, if elected, he would fully use latent presidential powers, including the right to call Cabinet meetings. That would allow him to rule with as much authority as he has enjoyed as premier.

A Section on 07/02/2014

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